Best SIM-only plans for light, moderate, and heavy data users

For years, fixed mobile plan contracts by Singtel, StarHub, and M1 locked you in for a period of 12- to 24-months with no way to switch telcos or plans without paying a hefty early termination penalty. How did they attract you to sign up with them? The main tactic was to dangle the latest smartphone at an attractive upfront “discount” – provided you sign up or recontract with them, locking you in again for another 24 months. Obviously, it wasn’t really a discount – the cost of the smartphone was really just spread out over monthly instalments. But thanks to the entry of new players such as My Republic, Zero, Circles.Life, Zero.1 and TPG, a myriad of flexible smartphone plans at attractive rates are now available with minimum lock-in period. This means consumers are now spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing the most affordable and cost-efficient mobile plans for their needs. This has forced the traditional incumbents – StarHub, M1 and SingTel – to also up their game, and in the first half of 2019, all three have launched their own version of SIM-only plans to try and regain market share. WHAT IS A SIM ONLY PLAN? A SIM only plan offers a package of data, talk time, and SMSes at a fixed monthly cost. SIM only plans are postpaid plans, and function much like traditional mobile phone contracts. The main (and most important) difference, however, is that you are not locked into a minimum contract period, and… [Read full story]